Sanguine Tenacious Tidings

Just Horsing Around

Talk Tuesdays: Talk Up the Accomplishments in Your Life

Most of my accomplishments are not sporty. I left my bicycle for a horse in my teens. The winter when I was 15 my dad allowed me to keep a horse from a local riding business. They offered rides around the local lake. In the winter they let out their horses to local farmers to keep until spring. That saved them the cost of feed and the kids got to ride the mounts. The first one was a small Bay quarter type horse called Teddy. I have some photographs of him. He was the first horse to be regaled with choral music as I would sit in his empty feed box and learn my chorus music. He was a biter. My dad showed me a trick of anticipating the bite and flicking him quickly on the softest part of the nose before he accomplished his action. It wasn’t only one of two times and he stopped his nips. I learned grooming, saddling, foot care, and other necessary rider to horse disciplines on Teddy. Here I might say I’ve read every Black Stallion and Red Stallion book. They have excellent ideas about horse training in them.

The second year I kept a small paint named Colonel. I was 16. Colonel and I spent our evenings and weekends on the road, in the fields, and woods. We knew all the deer trails and in and outs of riding places I never would have explored alone or on foot. Coronal was a true companion he was trustworthy and true. He once saved my life. I was riding home on a nearby road when a large feed truck came barreling toward us. It was driving down the middle of the road and veered right toward us. Colonel leapt sidewise at a right angle with all four feet at once. We landed across a ditch against a fence uninjured. Horses do make decisions on their own. The Sport: The first horse I owned was a 17 hand Tennessee walker. He was 10 year old gelding that had been passed around to many riders until he became mine. I have a picture of my 4 year old son sitting on him right after we bought him. I was 21. We ended up stabling him on Randolph Air Force base. I joined a riding class there. The other members of the class were 12 and under. When we came to the jumping part of lessons the teacher was dismayed because: Tennessee Walkers don’t jump. Also, posting at the trot was an impossible situation on the back of a horse that was bred to go for long rides across a plantation at a that barely registered a movement across his back.

I went to the base library and found a book that explained the riding moves a saddleseat rider would use to change a pace to a regular trot. Then every day when I was practicing my equitation I would practice moving Henry’s pace to a trot. The next time the teacher complained in class that the horse could not trot so I would never learn to post properly I asked him, “Do you need him to trot?” when he replied, “Yes.” I made my moves which put Henry into a regular trot. The astonished teacher asked, “How did you do that?” He was an equitation teacher for balanced seat which is different than saddleseat riding. This was the first time I succeeded in gaining knowledge about horses that my teachers did not know.

Henry could not jump higher than 18 inches. He wasn’t bred for the moves. Soon, there were people in the stable who had good horses that were offering me there mounts just for my lessons and I was accepting. One, particular Colonel was taking care of his daughters horse who had entered college. He was glad to have me ride the horse but warned me how hard the horses mouth was and to be careful because the horse had a habit of running away with people. I never had any trouble with that mount, so I still wonder why the horse was running away with people.

My first class of equitation I entered for the showing experience, on advice from the teacher, was memorable. I was showing against 5 to 7 or 8 year olds. I did not win anything but I was there to console two young children lined up before the judge on either side of me who were both tearful because they did not win a ribbon. I felt bad for them. Later, when I became a teacher and dealt with some parents I realized that many children ride because their parents put them on a horse and if they don’t win it is a major family problem.

Soon, I had to buy a new horse but, I could not let go of Henry. He was with me the rest of his life. My next horse was a King Ranch bred gelding named Tweet Hornet. He was a 17 hand blood bay cross between a quarter horse and a thoroughbred. I did most of the major showing in Texas on him. He was the horse I jumped over a hay wagon. We won second place in my first cross country event. I changed stables and teachers after I bought him. I rode for a stable called El Dorado. Which I don’t think it exists any more. My teacher was now female. She was a bold rider and teacher. I also taught a few lessons there to beginners and helped run a small business selling second hand riding equipment and clothing.

While I was in Texas I needed money for my horse passion so I took lessons in dog grooming from another dog groomer who I rode with occasionally. She even took some lessons with me at one time. So, I groomed dogs to earn money to ride horses. I’ve ridden western barrels, and poles. I’ve owned quarter horses, welsh ponies (they are great with children), thoroughbreds, and of course my Tennessee Walker. I like thoroughbreds the best, they are kind, intelligent, and trustworthy in any job you give them.

We moved back to Pa. With 40 horses and ponies. Some of the animals were the first boarders in the stable we were building. later I shipped some of these animals to their owner who had retired from the military to New Jersey. I liked riding and teaching but I never really cared for competition and a lot of riders base their riding on competition. I always won ribbons and trophies but one day I found them in the attic and threw them all away. I kept the silver platter and gravy bowl though.

I’m happiest (even though I probably won’t ever have another horse) on the trail taking long walks and trots and watching the wildlife. In Texas there were lots of armadillos on trails. Here in Pa. I saw deer, fox, rabbits, grouse and other wildlife who like to graze or lounge around on the well mowed trails. Horses and deer get along really well. The trails aren’t mowed any more and the last time I was on one was last year with a 4 wheeler.

After 1978 I was raising sheep, dairy goats, children, rabbits for meat, haying, Sunday school, church, 4H, cub scouts, knitting and crocheting. When ever there was a new subject to learn I was reading every book I could find on that particular subject. I’m good at all these subjects. I have a lot of knowledge because I always opened a book or listened to the teachers, farriers, veterinarians experience stories and advice. One of the best pieces of advice I could give to a younger person is go to class, read the assigned books and listen to the teachers tales of their own experiences in the subject they teach. Someday in your life you may need the knowledge they impart.

Now, I read, I blog, I take care of my creatures and house that’s about it.